2009 CX update

I'll admit that I have been absolutely terrible about posting updates on my blog lately. Too busy with work, family, and church. I guess those are all important, so I won't be too hard on myself, but the blog really needs some more cycling posts. My riding buddies are probably wondering if I ever get out and ride anymore. Well...anyone who has ridden with me lately knows that that is pretty much the case; no riding!

Despite the no riding or training thing, I've managed to maintain at least a little fitness throughout the year and what would a year be without topping it off with a little CX?! Like last year, I decided to race single speed again. Not that I really have a choice, since the only bike I own is a single speed, but that is besides the point. Anyone who races in UTCX, knows that the single speed class is VERY competitive and chockfull of super-fast riders. My goal going in was to start the season in the top 10 and somehow work my way into the top 5 by the end of the season.

RACE 1--Weber Fairgrounds

I never got the chance to race up at Weber last year, so this race was my virgin experience of the Fairgrounds. Pretty fun course. Very flat and bumpy and fairly fast! Usually I prefer courses like this, being a little on the heavy side. I started off pretty fast and was actually in the top 5 for the first lap. On lap two I felt the juice start to fade and I pretty much entered the pain cave for the rest of the race. I kept pretty consistent lap times, however, and having Rick Sunderlage behind pushing me helped me to finish as strong as I could. (Rick must have had a mechanical, because he is much faster than I!) Ended up around 10th or 11th place. I was happy with the finish.

RACE 2--Weber: NO SHOW (my back hurt, or at least that was my excuse. Really I just couldn't muster the energy to drive all the way up to North Ogden again!)

RACE 3--Heber: NO SHOW (schedule conflict)

RACE 4--Draper: I have sort of a love/hate relationship with the Draper CX course. I love it because of the technical nature of the course. You really have to been on your game or you could very easily end ass over tea kettle in many a section. I also enjoy the nice downhill portion which can never come too soon in any one lap. But anything that goes down must come back up, and Draper has a lot of "up" . The long uphill-road section just about killed me every time it came around, and the steep dirt run-up/barrier section hurt like a mother every time. I started off a little more conservatively on this race, having just recovered from a nasty cold. I didn't really know how my body would respond early in the race. One lap in my body felt pretty good and I started to reel-in some riders. Sunderlage and Keyes were just ahead of me and proved to be nice carrots for me throughout the race. (I later found out that Keyes blew out his tire and didn't finish. Sorry man! Thanks for helping me bump up a spot!) I actually felt pretty strong the whole race and finished top 10 for sure. (still don't know the official results.)

Next week is the first Wheeler event! Hopefully I will have a nice surprise for all to see at that race. My fingers are CX'd!